14 THE HALL OF SHELLS. 
~ sounding shells,’ and when in his hall the ‘shell 
of kings was heard,’ it was probably such 
scallop cups the warriors clashed. 
“ Another Pecten was called the pilgrim’s 
shell, and was used by the early Crusaders as 
both plate and goblet. This shell was some- 
times from four to five inches broad, and found 
in abundance on the coast of Palestine. It 
was also worn upon the front of the hat as 
a badge of knighthood by those who had 
performed the sacred pilgrimages or visited a 
shrine of St. James. This latter gave it the 
additional name of St. James’s shell, its proper 
name being Pecten Jacobeus. 
“The name Pecten means comb, and has 
been given these shells because of the appear- 
ance of ribs ornamenting the surface of many 
varieties. 
“But beautiful as are these shells, the mol- 
lusks living in such houses as these are even 
more beautiful and instructive. 
“By quick opening and shutting of its 
valves the little animal moves through the 
water. When ‘at home’ the pretty creature 
hes upon one side, its two valves open far 
enough to admit of our peering in; there we 
see delicate white frmges waving this way and 
that, withdrawn and again floating over the 
